Op-Ed Columns 1998
Tim O'Brien, former
Executive Director of the Libertarian Party of Michigan and noted libertarian
author and lecturer, has offered this regular opinion column free to Michigan
newspapers. The monthly column will present the libertarian position on issues
of the day -- both state and national. See the press release on this subject.
ATTENTION EDITORS: Feel free to reprint the articles listed below,
please inform the author, Tim O'Brien (at
tobrien3211@home.com)
when doing so, thank you.
- December, 1998 - A Conservative Divorce
- I have long suspected that the marriage of convenience between
religious-right and nanny-state conservatives must inevitably
end in a messy divorce....
[continue]
as published in the
Detroit Free Press
- November, 1998 - SLAPPED by the Mayor
- My mayor is suing me.
About a year ago I was approached by a fellow Allen Parker who
had become sufficiently displeased with our mayor's exploits (an
amusing collection of anecdotes too numerous to retell here) that
he purposed to recall Hizzonor from office....
[continue]
- October, 1998 - Would Three Parties Really Be A Crowd?
- If you have always considered yourself either a Republican or
a Democrat, take a moment and try this little thought experiment
with me... [continue]
- September, 1998 - Forced to Live with Colonel Cathcart
- In a wonderful exchange that gave title to a wildly popular novel
in the 60's, a World War II bombardier named Yossarian, looking to
remove himself from harm's way and having learned that "crazy"
fliers are grounded, is told by a Dr. Daneeka that this was in fact
the case but that in order to qualify such a person must request
that certification... [continue]
- August, 1998 - Limitless Politicians
- Following a journey across the nascent United States, French author,
Alexis de Tocqueville, predicted in his seminal "Democracy in America"
that our experiment in self-government would survive only until
politicians discover that they can bribe the people with their own
money... [continue]
- July, 1998 - King Edward of Wayne
- Wayne county voters should take a moment to appreciate the range
of candidates on the August 4th primary ballot before exercising
their franchise. In the overwhelming majority of county-wide
races it is the last opportunity they will have this year to
see the names of candidates who have not been pre-approved by
County Executive, Ed McNamara... [continue]
as published in the
Detroit News
- June 15, 1998 - Brave New Diversity
- The very tolerant townsfolk of Ypsilanti recently voted against
repealing an anti-discrimination ordinance enacted by the city
council last year. ...[continue]
- June, 1998 - Down the Sewer
- More than three years ago, I began voicing objections at my
bi-monthly city council meetings to a Consent Decree entered
into by my hometown of Allen Park... agreeing to spend nearly a
quarter of a billion dollars to design and build a new storm
drain system for the downriver area to comply with the order of
federal Judge John Feikens...[continue]
- May, 1998 - "None Of The Above" for Governor
- Delegates to the Libertarian Party of Michigan nominating convention
in East Lansing last month selected "None Of The Above" as the party's
candidate for Governor... [continue]
as published in the Detroit News
- March, 1998 - Airport Insecurity
- A few weeks ago I found myself at the Tampa airport more than four hours ahead of the scheduled departure time for my return flight to Detroit. After checking my luggage through, I went in search of one of those temporary lockers to safely stow my two cumbersome carry-ons until boarding time...[continue]
- February, 1998 - Drug War Casualties
- Detroit police officers Walter Budzyn and Larry Nevers have something in common with Malice Green...[continue]
- January, 1998 - The High Cost When Life is Priceless
- More than 150 people in Michigan died last year while waiting for the organ transplant that might well have saved their lives...[continue]
as published in the Detroit News
| 
